Circuit-controller.



Patented lune 24, I902.

E. w'. VOGEL.

CIRCUIT CONTROLLER.

(Application filed July 23, 1901,)

(No Model.)

UNITED STATES PATENT OrFIcE.

EUGENE IV. VOGEL, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

CIRCUIT-CONTROLLER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 703,022, dated June 24,1902.

Application filed July 23, 1901.

To all whmn it may concern.-

Be it known that I, EUGENE IV. VOGEL, a citizen of the United States,residing at Chicago, county of Cook, State of Illinois, have invented acertain new and useful Improvement in Circuit-Controllers; and I declarethe following to be a full, clear, and exact description of theinvention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which itpertains to make and use the same, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification.

My invention relates in general to circuitcontrollers, and moreparticularly to that class of such devices which are automaticallyoperated by an electrically-propelled car passing a given point. c

It is customary in the operation of electric railways to providecircuits for actuating switches and signals and also for connecting anddisconnecting the conductor with the source of current as the carapproaches and recedes from the various sections into which theconductor is divided. Such circuits are automatically controlled eitherby the circuit being completed from the trolley through the car to thetrack, or by the trolley contacting with a circuit-controlling devicelocated in the path of the trolley, or by the tread of a wheel of thecar engaging a circuit-controlling means adjacent to one of the rails ofthe track. The several ways referred to of controlling a circuit byapassing car have proven unsatisfactory, the first because the circuitis not completed when the car is coasting, the second because theviolent contact of the trolley with the stationary circuit-controllingdevice results in breaking or otherwise injuring the latter, and thethird because the tread of the usual street-car wheel is not broadenough to overlap the rail and engage the circuit-controlling means.

The object of my invention is to provide a circuit-controller which willbe automatically operated to make and break a circuit upon the passageof a car and which will avoid the objections above mentioned. Inaccomplishing this object I utilize the sag of the conductor, due to itsweight between its supports, and the elevation of the conductor by thetrolley of a passing car.

My invention will be more fully described Serial No. 69,376. (No model.)

hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which thesame is illustrated as embodied in several convenient and practicalforms, and in which Figure 1 is an elevational View of an embodiment ofmy invention; Fig. 2, a transverse vertical section of Fig. 1; Fig. 3,adiagrammatic view of another embodiment of myinvention, and Fig. 4 adiagrammatic view of still another modification of my invention.

Similar reference characters indicate corresponding parts in the severalviews or" the drawings.

The embodiment of my invention illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2 comprises asupport E, located above the conductor C, such support E being securedto and thereby supporting a casing G, within which is located acircuitcontroller. The casing G may be secured to the support E by anysuitable meanssuch, for instance, as projecting lugs and bolts passingtherethrough, as indicated in Fig. 1. A shaft 1 is journaled in thecasing G and has a surrounding sleeve Z adjustably secured theretowithin the casing G. A movable contact c projects radially from thesleeve l and is adapted to engage and disengage fixed contacts 9 and j,secured within the casing G by any suitable means. The contacts g andjare insulated from the casing G, as indicated in Fig. 2, and form theterminals of one or two electric circuits, as desired. One end of theshaft l projects through the casing and has secured thereto a dependingarm L, which is adapted to engage a device C, projecting upwardly fromthe conductor C. The engagement between the arm L and the projectingdevice C is rendered more positive by providing a guidegroove Z in theunder surface of the arm L, as clearly indicated in Figs. 1 and 2. Inthis embodiment of my invention the elevation of the conductor C due tothe trolley of a passing car causes the lever L to rise, and therebyrock the shaft 1-, and with it the movable contact 0. The contact 0 thenengages the contacts g and j and completes the circuit or circuitsconnected therewith. When the conductor sags by its own weight, the armL falls by gravity, and thereby rocks the shaft Z, so that the movablecontact 0 is disengaged from the terminals g and j.

In Fig. 3 I have shown a modified form of my invention in which a leverC is pivotally supported in proximity to the conductor C, so as to berocked about its pivot when the conductor 0 is elevated. A contact 0 isfixed to the lever 0 so as to be rocked thereby. Fixed terminals g andare located at either side of the movable contact 0 and are adapted tobe alternately engaged by such movable contact as the lever C iselevated by the rise of the conductor when a trolley engages the same oras the lever swings downwardly with the conductor when disengaged from atrolley. 7L2 and 75 indicate leads connected to the terminals 9 andj andforming parts of circuits which are electrically connected to theconductor 0 through the movable contact 0 and the actuating-lever C Fig.4 represents still another modified form of my invention in which aleverO is pivotally supported above the conductor 0 and is adapted to beswung upwardly and downwardly as the conductor is elevated by a trolleyor is depressed by its own weight when the trolley has passed. gindicates a movable contact pivotally supported in position to beengaged by the lever C 9' is a fixed terminal electrically connectedwith a lead 76. M indicates a pivoted latch which is adapted to engagethe end of the pivoted contact When the latter is elevated through theen gagement therewith of the lever C when the conductor G is elevated. Mindicates a magnet supported adjacent to the latch M, so that the latchM will be attracted by the mag net when the latter is energized by meansof a circuit the terminals of which are indicated at m m. 72, indicatesa lead connected with the movable contact g and forming part of acircuit including a source of energyas, for instance, a batteryand alsoincluding any desired form of translating device. The operation of thisembodiment of my invention is as follows: Then a car passes beneath thecircuit-controller, the lever C is elevated by the engagement of thetrolley with the conductor O. The elevation of the lever 0 causes it toengage and raise the movable contact into engagement with the fixedterminalj, such engagementbeing continued by means of the latch Mengaging the end of the contact g. The circuit connected with the leads7i and is consequently closed through the movable contact 9 and thefixed terminal 7' This circuit may be broken by closing the circuitwhich controls the energization of the magnet M, whereby the latch M isattracted and disengaged from the pivoted contact g which is thenpermitted to fall from its engagement with the terminal j".

From the foregoing description of the sevfall of a conductor due,respectively, to the passing of a trolley and to the sag of theconductor between its points of support.

While I have described more or less precisely the details of the severalconstructions, I do not wish to be understood as limiting myselt'thereto, as I contemplate changes in form, the proportion of parts, andthe substitution of equivalents, as circumstances may suggest or renderexpedient, without departing from the spirit of my invention.

Having now fully described myinvention, what I claim as new, and desireto secure by Letters Patent, is

1. The combination with a conductor, of a circuit having a fixedterminal supported adjacent to said conductor, and a movable terminalpivotally supported between said fixed terminal and the conductor, andadapted to be lifted into contact with said fixed terminal by theelevation of said conductor, substantially as described.

2. The combination with a conductor, of a trolley adapted to engage saidconductor, a circuit having its terminals supported in proximity to saidconductor, a device pivotally supported in proximity to said terminalsfor electrically connecting the same, and means for actuating saiddevice operated by the rise and fall of the conductor, substantially asdescribed. 1

3. The combination with a conductor, of a circuit-controller supportedin proximity to said conductor and adapted to be operated by the riseand fall thereof, said controller comprising a fixed contact and amovable contact, the latter supported upon a rock-shaft, said rock-shafthaving an arm fixed thereto and engaging said conductor, substantiallyas described.

4. The combination with a conductor, of a controller-box supported inproximity to said conductor, a rock-shaft mounted within said box,acontact-finger proj eeting from said shaft, fixed contact located withinsaid box and extending into the path of said contact-finger, an armrigidly secured to the end of said rockshaft and actuated by the riseand fall of said conductor, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I sign this specification in the presence of twowitnesses.

EUGENE W'. VOGEL.

\Vitnesses:

GEo. L. WILKINSON, CLARA O. CUNNING-HAll'L

